The Broken Windows of law enforcement (and voter fraud legislation)? Here’s a CLEAR evidential example of how NH isn’t bothering to do its required policing to keep our votes safe.
Really – DEMOCRATS conspiring to take advantage of the loopholes in our voting laws (that other Democrats put in) as well? Whodda thunk it? Well, it certainly seems like Hugo Palma, the regional field director for the Bernie Sanders campaign thought he’d give it the ole political college try, doesn’t it. Listen to how openly speaks (“No, I voted here”)…
…and then clams up real quick.
It is clear that, once again, true investigative journalism is showing how easily NH’s voter laws can be mocked by those that have no regard for the letter or the spirit of the law. It also shows the contempt in which we should all hold our politicians for doing such a crappy job in writing these laws and for those organizations, like the League of Women Voters and the ACLU, that work hard to undermine them as well with “drive by” lawsuits.
The Democrats are certainly changing the moral landscape – it once was that people had their internal sense of morality to do the right things (and in this case, I would say to vote absentee from where your real domicile is rather than the “one of convenience and platform to do wrong” but I guess Al Gore had it right for today’s Dems: No authorizing legal authority. No law, no foul. Strip away the internal sense of right and wrong – if there is no law to strictly prohibit something, who the heck cares?
Especially if it gives your side an advantage in a world that seems to only care about the “W” – the means justifies the end no matter its consquences. If those in leadership positions can ignore and thwart the law, well then, why shouldn’t the rest of us? And this is the true moral of this story – if this law doesn’t matter, then most laws don’t. Or shouldn’t. Because of that Progressive mantra: who are YOU to judge me?
For if there is no sense of stigma for breaking the law, if any kind of social restrictions on conduct are loosed because of “the situation” and the advantage that can bring (short though it may be), why not?
Transcript:
VO #1: This is Hugo Palma. He lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado. We met him in New Hampshire, where he was working as the Manchester field director for the Bernie Sanders campaign.
PVA Journalist: “So did you have to vote in Colorado then?”
Hugo Palma, Bernie Sanders, Field Director: “No I voted here.”
PVA Journalist: “Here?”
Hugo Palma, Bernie Sanders, Field Director: “Hell yeah.”
PVA Journalist: “How?”
Hugo Palma, Bernie Sanders, Field Director: “So to vote in New Hampshire all you have to do is prove domicile. That’s about it.”
VO #2: New Hampshire has defined domicile as:
“that one place where a person, more than any other place, has established a physical presence and manifests an intent to maintain a single, continuous presence for domestic, social, and civil purposes relevant to participating in democratic self-government.” NH RSA 654:1
Hugo Palma, Bernie Sanders, Field Director: “Residence. Like they live here. So I had my bills sent over here. Not even, I had my bank statement mailed to me.”
PVA Journalist: “And that’s it. That’s all you have to do and you can vote in New Hampshire?”
Hugo Palma, Bernie Sanders, Field Director: “Pretty much.”
PVA Journalist: “So obviously you’re not voting in Colorado then?”
Hugo Palma, Bernie Sanders, Field Director: “No, if I’m voting in Colorado then that’s voter fraud. I can’t do that, no no no.”
PVA Journalist: “Well a lot of people could do that then.”
Hugo Palma, Bernie Sanders, Field Director: “In theory. I mean it’s frowned upon but it’s not illegal.”
VO #3: Hugo is right in one sense. New Hampshire’s lax election law “allows” for someone to claim domicile in the state, with little or no proof, and then vote. It’s worth noting, that in July of last year, Governor Maggie Hassan vetoed a bill that would have required a thirty-day wait in order to vote in New Hampshire. She said the bill placed unreasonable restrictions of voting rights.
As vague as the New Hampshire law is, it is clear about one thing. Domicile is where you live not where you work.
Hugo Palma, Bernie Sanders, Field Director: Goffstown is out west, Warner is north.
VO #4: Hugo told us he was living at this house on 88 Waldron Hill Road in Warner, New Hampshire. That’s his black SUV with Colorado plates parked right next to the house. We even intercepted an e-mail Hugo sent singing the praises of the owners.
Quote, “Lucky for me, Beth and Gary said yes to being a host family for Bernie. Not only do I have a warm place to sleep each night, I feel at home.”
PVA Journalist: “Is Warner a big town?”
Hugo Palma, Bernie Sanders, Field Director: “F**k no.”
PVA Journalist: “It’s small?”
Hugo Palma, Bernie Sanders, Field Director: “Yeah. Everything shuts down at 7.”
PVA Journalist: “Really? Yeah.”
PVA Journalist: “Is that why you had to vote in Manchester?”
Hugo Palma, Bernie Sanders, Field Director: “Yeah.”
PVA Journalist: “Because they don’t have a city hall there?”
Hugo Palma, Bernie Sanders, Field Director: “No, I think they have a city hall, but I just didn’t want to do it there.”
PVA Journalist: “Oh so you registered in Manchester?”
Hugo Palma, Bernie Sanders, Field Director: “Yeah.”
PVA Journalist: “How did you do that though? What address did you use?”
Hugo Palma, Bernie Sanders, Field Director: “This one.”
PVA Journalist: “Oh really?”
PVA Journalist: “This one? The office?”
Hugo Palma, Bernie Sanders, Field Director: (nods his head.)
VO #5: Yes, you heard it right. Hugo admitted to our journalist that he used the Bernie Sanders’ Manchester field office, 345 Cilley Road, as his domicile address when he registered to vote. Not the Warner address where he was actually living, clearly violating New Hampshire law. Hugo put this picture of himself on Facebook with the Manchester City Clerk doing the deed.
PVA Journalist: Hugo must have done this in Warner because that’s where he lives.
Rebecca Doyle, Bernie Sanders Volunteer: No, he didn’t, he did it at the office.
PVA Journalist: With the office address?
Rebecca Doyle, Bernie Sanders Volunteer: Yeah.
PVA Journalist: Oh wow, that’s okay?
Rebecca Doyle, Bernie Sanders Volunteer: Uhh, not really.
VO #6: Rebecca Doyle is right. When Hugo Palma listed his office as his domicile he violated New Hampshire statute 659:34.
Quote, “A person is subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $5000 if such person:
a) When registering to vote…
…submits a voter registration form…containing false material information regarding his or her qualifications as a voter…
Campaign staffers also encouraged our journalists to follow Hugo’s example.
Donna Waterman, Bernie Sanders staffer: If you have a piece of mail sent here, you can register the day of.
PVA Journalist: I don’t have an address.
Donna Waterman, Bernie Sanders staffer: You can send it to the office that’s what Hugo did.
PVA Journalist: Really, would they get like mad?
Donna Waterman, Bernie Sanders staffer: I mean, I don’t know the legality of it so…
PVA Journalist: But, I mean, like the office whoever runs the office.
Donna Waterman, Bernie Sanders staffer: Oh Hugo runs the office. So you can talk to him about it, but like that’s what he did so…
VO #7: Based on our reporting, a lot of Bernie Sanders campaign workers voted in New Hampshire even though they weren’t truly residents. We found solid evidence that Donna Waterman also voted illegally. Her name appears on the official Manchester voters list and her listed address is the field office, the same address Hugo used. The office is a commercial space and not legal for habitation.
Donna Waterman, Bernie Sanders staffer: Everyone else in the office is also like claiming domicile here. Even though that’s not true. Even though we are not planning on coming back but its super super easy to register in New Hampshire, because you bring in a piece of mail and that’s claiming domicile.
PVA Journalist: I assume most of the staff is voting here?
Juan Ayor, Bernie Sanders Field Organizer: I would say half.
VO #8: What was most shocking was when we heard that Bernie’s senior staff was encouraging campaign workers to violate the law and vote.
Peyor Gugali, Bernie Sanders Field Organizer: …And Kim, one of our directors, like they encouraged it. Like very nicely or whatever.
PVA Journalist: Oh the directors encouraged people in supporter housing?
Peyor Gugali, Bernie Sanders Field Organizer: No, they aren’t really supposed to encourage us doing this by voting. Like the lawyer was explaining it to us. And he was like if you are going to stay here for a day after the primary then you should, then you can technically. But it’s voter fraud if you go on and vote somewhere else. Which you can’t do. So if you vote here, you can’t go vote anywhere else.
Rebecca Doyle, Bernie Sanders Volunteer: Yeah the higher up people encouraged them to vote in New Hampshire.
PVA Journalist: Why though?
Rebecca Doyle, Bernie Sanders Volunteer: I guess because its New Hampshire and votes kind of count more.
VO #9: Hugo also made it clear he had no intention of remaining in New Hampshire. Which also belies his domicile claim.
Juan Ayor, Bernie Sanders Field Organizer: “Look–if you’re just here strictly to vote, then that’s illegal. If you spend the night here afterwards, then you know, it’s whatever.
Hugo Palma, Bernie Sanders, Field Director: “Because I will–I’m not leaving until the 13th…” [cut] “The point is, I did not do anything illegal by voting here.”
PVA Journalist: “No, you didn’t at all, that’s awesome.” [cut]
PVA Journalist: “Why don’t you like New Hampshire?”
PVA Journalist: “Everyday?”
Hugo Palma, Bernie Sanders, Field Director: “This place sucks.”
PVA Journalist: “You think so?”
Hugo Palma, Bernie Sanders, Field Director: “Like–the food sucks. The night life sucks. There’s Patriots fans everywhere. Everywhere.”
Hugo Palma, Bernie Sanders, Field Director: “That’s a bad thing. F**k Tom Brady.” [cut]
PVA Journalist: “When are you leaving New Hampshire?”
Hugo Palma, Bernie Sanders, Field Director: “The 13th.”
PVA Journalist: “And you’re leaving (inaudible)?”
Hugo Palma, Bernie Sanders, Field Director: “No, I have to drive back.”
PVA Journalist: “So you are leaving New Hampshire on the 13th, and are you ever coming back?”
Hugo Palma, Bernie Sanders, Field Director: “What’s up?”
PVA Journalist: “You’re leaving New Hampshire on the 13th of February, and are you ever coming back.”
Hugo Palma, Bernie Sanders, Field Director: “Hell to the mother-f**king no. Absolutely not.”
PVA Journalist: “That’s a lie.”
Hugo Palma, Bernie Sanders, Field Director: “Why the f**k would I come back to New Hampshire? This place is a shit show.” [cut]
James O’Keefe: Hey Hugo. James O’Keefe Project Veritas. How you doing? Did you vote in New Hampshire here?
Hugo Palma, Bernie Sanders, Field Director: All ah questions related to the ah campaign have to go through communications.
James O’Keefe: Because you stayed with Beth and Gary in Warner, correct?
Hugo Palma, Bernie Sanders, Field Director: So all questions have to go through our ah
James O’Keefe: And you used the campaign headquarters to register to vote didn’t you?
Hugo Palma, Bernie Sanders, Field Director: Would you like me to get you our communications department?
James O’Keefe: No I want to know why you committed voter fraud because it’s illegal in the State of New Hampshire to stay in one place and vote in another. What do you have to say for yourself?
Hugo Palma, Bernie Sanders, Field Director: So you have to go through our communications department in order to get any press related questions.
James O’Keefe: What do you think Bernie would think about you committing voter fraud and using a different location then where you’re staying. And you don’t like New Hampshire either you said you want to get out of here immediately. What do you think about that?
Hugo Palma, Bernie Sanders, Field Director: You have to go through our communications department.
James O’Keefe: What do you think about law enforcement getting involved in this. Sir. Sir. No comment. Looks like Hugo doesn’t have anything to say for himself and he’s inside the house right now with a couple, how you doing? Voter fraud. Can you say voter fraud caught on camera? I don’t think calling people is going to save you. Looks like Hugo has no comment. He wants me to talk to the press secretary, but I don’t think that’s going to help him very much, and this is just the beginning. We have official after official after official and this is for the. We have caught voter fraud on tape. Undeniable. No excuse. Using a different address. Can’t wait to see what happens next.
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